Puppeteer
by Murasaki Hana
Summary: She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change. Ever. On hiatus until my arms are better.
1. Prologue

Puppeteer

…

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

…

 _Prologue_

 _*Klick klick klick*_

The quiet, steady klicking woke her from her deep, deep slumber. She was slowly realizing there was pressure in her chest, so much pressure she found it impossible to breath properly, if at all.

'What happened?' Sakura thought and tried to open her eyes. She was sure her lids were open, but no sight came. She frowned, it must have just been dark.

 _*Klick klick klick*_

She tried to move her fingers, to get feeling back in them, when she found that she couldn't. It was like she didn't have them! She started to panic, trying to pull in much needed air, but unable to do so. She couldn't feel her arms either!

* _Klick klick klick_ *

'Just… breath Sakura, they must just be numb,' she tried to tell herself and tried to take in a deep, calming breath like Tsunade told her to do in situations like this. _In_ and _out_ , easy enough, she told herself. Or so she tried, but no air came in and even less came out.

It was like she had no lungs at all!

*Klick klick kl-*

The clicking stopped and only then did Sakura realize there had been any in the first place. She could sense eyes on her, even though she couldn't see. The need to bite her lip in anxiety was a strong one, but she couldn't get her lips to move like she wished them to.

"You are awake, good. I was starting to think there was a fault in our seal," an eerily familiar and quiet voice said calmly, -if not a little impatiently- from what seemed like the other side of the room. Sakura decided to take the risk and ask what was wrong with her.

"Why," her voice came out wrong, like she hadn't used it in a long time, "… _Why_ can't I move?" She finished fearfully, waiting for the answer with a baited breath that she couldn't seem to take.

"You are not ready," again, there was impatience in its voice.

Then the clicking started again.

"Ready?" that didn't make any sense to her!

"Yes, be quiet now, I do not wish to make a mistake on your features," it was quiet after that, except for the clicking.

 _*Klick klick klick*_

' _What… What does he_ –she was quite sure it was a he- _mean?_ _Not ready? Mistake on my features_?' Sakura thought frantically and tried to move her head around. At least it seemed like her neck wasn't broken, it seemed to work fine enough.

 _*Klick klick klick*_

' _I'm… I'm scared_ ,' Sakura thought, but for some reason, no tears came. She was sure she was crying, yet there was no gasping breaths or tears on her cheeks. Why, why weren't there any?

'Naruto, please save me!'

If she had the ability to breath, she would be hyperventilating by now. Yet her face remained impassive, there were no tears, nor was there even a single gasping breath.

 _*Klick klick klick*_

When she thought the clicking would drive her crazy, it finally stopped. She heard steps, they were steadily getting louder, until they stopped at her right side. She wished for an ability to hold her breath in anxiety almost as much as her ability to see.

He placed something on the table on her both sides and she got curious. Then he took a gentle hold of her right shoulder and _pushed_ something in with a *pop*. He did it on her left side too and suddenly, she could _feel_.

'He must have released my pressure points; that was it!' but as a medic, she knew it didn't make a sound like _that_. Wanting to ignore the facts, she tried to move her fingers and when they did, she could have cried from the relief.

"They are working, good. I hope you find them as perfect as the original ones."

"What are you-"

"Your eyes are ready as well, they should be dry by now," he seemed like an awfully impatient person, she noted, as she heard him walking away from her again. That was fine with her, it gave her time to make sure her hand were ok.

She checked if she had all her fingers and was pleased to find that she did, but as she kept touching them, they felt almost… bony.

' _How long was I out?_ ' she thought with a frown that didn't quite reach her face. Her friends must have been so worried! She couldn't remember what happened before she blacked out, but she was quite sure she had been on a mission with Naruto and the others. Still, she could have betted that she was not in Konoha at the moment. She always did have better luck than her Mentor.

"Stop scratching them, you will damage the paint," it seemed like he was back.

Only then did she notice that she had been wrinkling her fingers, a nervous habit of hers she always tried to hide. But there was something in his sentence that got her attention.

"The… paint?"

"Yes, now stay still," he said.

Sakura felt as he took a careful hold of her face, his hands were oddly gentle for a man that sounded so impatient all the time, as he opened her lids with care. She felt something fall into place in her eye sockets, which almost felt wrong as she hadn't felt anything missing. He let go of her face and stepped back, as her lids fell closed automatically.

"Now open them," and so she did.

She expected her sight to be blurry as first, as she opened her eyes slowly, mindful of the light that might burn her eyes, but she was surprised to see that her eyesight was _perfect_. She looked around in wonder, her eyes zooming in on random puppets hanging around, that seemed to fill up the room. She wondered why most of them seemed broken.

An impatient "tsk" made her turn her eyes to the person standing next to her.

Her lips opened in wonder, a sigh without air escaped her painted lips.

Never would she forget the face that was looking down at her. The person's expression seemed bland, but his eyes shone with intelligence and arrogance on a young face, that was framed with hair redder than blood. His eyes seemed to take her in, a satisfied -if not a little lazy- smirk took over his thin lips. It looked like he was pleased, almost happy, as he gazed her with his half lidded, grayish eyes.

"Hmnnn, it seems I got the shade right," he sounded happy with himself.

"Do not move," and with that he turned around and left her again.

At this point, she would have taken another calming breath, if she were able to. She would have to see the damage done to her hands at some point, but she was sure it couldn't be that bad. There was feeling in her arms and hands and she could now move her fingers normally, if only a bit clumsily.

So with a nod, she lifted her hands in front of her now closed eyes and opened her fists slowly at the same time her eyes opened.

What she saw weren't bony fingers, thin from hunger or misuse, no, it was much worse.

Her arms were that of a puppets.

…

And as always, thank you all for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana


	2. Chapter 1

Puppeteer

…

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

…

 _Chapter 1_

 _*Klank Klank Klank*_

Went her fingers as she moved them around in morbid fascination. They moved smoothly enough, only feeling a bit twitchy, if she tried to make any sudden movements with them. The perfectionist in her admitted that they were beautifully made, the red headed male had painted in every small detail starting from the smallest of scars in her fingertips, to the would-be-veins in her arms.

 _*Klank Klank Klank*_

Went her fingers as she brought them closer to her wooden cheeks. No longer did they feel soft under her touch, all she could feel was the smooth wooden surface, no doubt painted as detailed as her hands. There was a frozen, calm expression on her carefully carved face, her before pouty lips no longer moved in the same way as they did before, her beautiful, wide smile now forever hidden behind her neutral look.

 _*Klank klank klank*_

Went her fingers as she travelled them up from her cheeks to her eyes, her dark pink lashes appeared to still be there, as well as her slightly paler eyebrows. The frown that usually marred her features now a days wasn't there thought, apparently the red headed male hadn't thought it suited her. Her hair was the same, still pink and short, as she travelled her fingers through her bangs carefully.

 _*Klank klank kla-*_

Went her fingers straight into the slightly bigger hands that had, apparently, been combing her hair in place. She gasped, airless, and turned her neck slightly to look up at the amused grey eyes of the red headed male. He took her hands in his own wooden ones and gave them a sharp once over.

"Do you like them?" He asked almost hopefully and pulled them to his lips.

"I…" Sakura started fearfully, oh how she wanted to gulp right then.

"I painted them red, it suits you," he said and intertwined their fingers, making Sakura see a flash of red on her nails.

"…Why?" The question was a shaky one, full of hidden tears that her eyes couldn't shed. His eyes flashed with impatience and he squeezed her hands in his wooden ones.

"They didn't deserve you," and he seemed done with the subject, almost angry even.

"Who?"

"Your legs are almost finished. As soon as you can walk, we are leaving," he ignored her quiet question and with a soft peck to her fingers, he carefully released her hands.

All the rest of her questions died on her tongue at his quiet dismissal. He clearly wasn't one to be questioned. Still, her biggest question remained.

' _Why did you do this to me?'_

…

Walking for the first time after turning into a puppet came to her a lot easier than she had thought. After her few skeptical steps, she started to take more confident stripes around the room. The quiet klicks and klanks her body made didn't bother her as much as she had thought they would, that or she tried to ignore them. Either way, it was working.

The red head was watching quietly as she took almost childish glee from the freedom of movement she hadn't had in a while. With a lazy smile on his lips, he watched Sakura jump around. Her bare body was a sight he found himself admiring. Her steps were agile, that of a ninja she had been for the most part of her life, still as quiet and precise as they had been when she was "alive".

He hummed and stepped away from the wall he had been leaning on, pleased that his wait was finally over.

"We are leaving," he said and with a few quick hand signals, sealed away his tools and parts that were still usable. Sakura watched him clean away his tools, feeling the need to bite her lips, but decided to wrinkle her fingers. It still felt wrong, not being able to move her lips around as much.

"Stop that", she heard and flinched, deciding to hang her arms at her sides and stare at her red painted toenails.

"Where… are we going?" Sakura asked carefully and looked at the male from under her bangs.

"We will have to move quickly. Remember to stay within range of me, you have no personal chakra core at the moment," he said and donned on his cape. He took another pile of clothing and threw it towards Sakura.

"Dress yourself," and with that he left the now empty room.

Sakura looked down at the pile of clothes in her arms, there were pants, a shirt and a familiar looking cloak. It bothered her how she wasn't ashamed by her lack of clothes, but guessed it had something to do with her new body and how it no longer felt _human_ to her.

Why cover up a wooden frame? It's not like men would be interested in it anymore.

She walked towards the table she had been stuck on for days and laid down the garments. She slipped on the black pants first and could immediately tell they were males. The shirt came on next, a simple black tee-shirt that was a bit too long for her, also men's.

But the black and red cape seemed to be glaring her, she didn't remember much, all her memories were still in a bit of a haze, but those clouds… there was something about them. She was almost going to leave it there, when the door opened to reveal the red head.

"We need to leave," he said impatiently and looked at the cape laying on the table. He tsked and picked it up, throwing it over her shoulders in one smooth move and buttoning it up, clearly ignoring the way she flinched at his touch. When done he turned around and walked towards the door, clearly expecting her to follow.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked again, this time in a stronger tone, some of her stubborn nature shining in her glassy eyes, as she refused to take a step.

The male looked in her direction and after seeing her stubborn look, smirked, as if amused by her stubbornness.

"Home."

…

Beta notes:

N:

C:

This only took almost forever, I apologize for that, I had some personal issues to take care of 1st.

And as always, thank you all for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana


	3. Chapter 2

Puppeteer

…

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

…

 _Chapter 2_

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as they walked towards the place that the red head had called "home". As they travelled along, Sakura had tried to remember something- _anything-_ from her life before she woke up as a puppet. The more she tried to remember the less she was able to remember. It was like it was all being wiped away as she tried to recall her life.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as she tried to remember little things: places, voices, faces. Still she followed this man with red hair.

Nothing major came to mind, but she did remember some things about herself.

She knew simple stuff, like her name and that she came from a village filled with life; she didn't remember the name of the village. She recalled some foods that she liked to eat when she still could eat and the things she didn't like eating. She was also good at healing people; she had loved to help the people at her village. She remembered a sunny smile and after that, annoyance at the act of a man turning into a woman. The people in her memories had no faces and their features were blurred for the most part, but she did remember a man with black eyes that bled to red.

She did not like that last memory.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as she looked around herself for the first time since they started traveling and did a double take. The river they had walked next to was gone. In its place was a thick forest: so thick that she could hardly make out the sky peaking between the leaves. She was quite sure that they had left in the morning, she had seen the morning sun paint the sky, but now she could make out the redness of the sky, signifying that the day was coming to an end.

Had they walked all day and she hadn't noticed?!

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as she walked forward and thought about it. Before she was a puppet, she could remember muscle fatigue, hunger and exhaustion. All those bodily needs, which always let her know _when_ she needed to eat and sleep to rest her burning muscles.

Now, there was nothing.

It felt… she didn't know how it felt. She didn't feel anything.

 _*Klank Klank Klank*_

Went her arms as she moved them up to look at her hands. The red in her nail was glaring at her, reminding her of those eyes that seemed to haunt her in the back of her mind. Other that the nails, the hands were like hers used to be, they looked just like she remembered them before. The veins, the scars and the shape, just like they used to be.

They just didn't _feel_ like her hands.

She always had taken pride about her hands, those that could easily heal and destroy.

Now that she thought about it, even most of her feelings were… numb, in a way. She still felt scared about her situation. Still felt fear of what was to come, but it was a numb kind of fear. She also felt a certain kind of amazement about her new body. She did not want it — she still wanted her old body back, but to have a body that felt no fatigue, _nothing_... her medic mind was amazed that such a thing was even possible.

She felt like her, but less so. Less vibrant.

 _*Klank Klank Klank*_

Went her arms as she let them swing back down to her sides.

She was still Sakura... but not fully Sakura? She could try and live with that for the time being. Not like she had any choice, she doubted she could even kill herself at the time being as wood didn't bleed to death. She'd deal with this, at least till she knew more of what was to come.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as she walked next to the red head, as he had stopped in front of a mountain. He did a set of hand signs that Sakura immediately memorized and watched in wonder as a giant boulder moved to reveal a pathway that was lit with lanterns.

"We are home?" Sakura asked calmly and looked up at the red head. He smirked lazily at her. He seemed pleased about something.

"Yes Sakura, we are home."

…

Beta notes:

Hellooo everyone! So glad to be able to finally read and help edit the next installment to Puppeteer. Such an interest plot this story has. I can't wait for the next few (I'm sure you can't either!)

-Nicole

Heeeey ppl! If you read my other story called Dearest, you already know why I have been away for so long, but if not here is the short version.

I had to have my arm operated twice, so I was in no condition to write in these past few months and I apologize for any writing errors, it's been a while since I could last write…

This chapter is short, I know, but it is mostly about Sakuras thoughts and feelings about her new situation.

And as always, thank you for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana


	4. Chapter 3

Puppeteer

…

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

…

 _Chapter 3_

 _*Klick Klick*_

Went her neck as she turned to look at the red head next to her. They were walking in the dark hallways of the base in a leisure pace, not in a hurry to get anywhere. In the hallways, there wasn't much to look at, so Sakura looked at the man next to her. She guessed he was handsome with his striking features, cool eyes, calm nature and bloody red hair. But there was no skipped hearth beat or a blush on her face as there would have been before as she stared. Even the fact that she didn't know his name didn't seem to bother her.

Just quiet acceptance.

 _*Klick Klick*_

Went her neck as she turned her head to look at where they were going. It was weird, her once vibrant and full mind seemed to be in a forever frozen, calm state, there was very little in her mind that could wake any emotions in her anymore. The thought of sun kissed skin and golden hair brought her longing, but she was quick to return to her neutral state.

Why think of something that hurt?

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as she walked along, thinking that if she was her old self, this silence would have been boring. She had a feeling she used to love talking as her old self. Now there was no need to, her mind was calm, accepting of this silence. The less she tried to remember her old self, the calmer her mind was.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as they stepped into a room lit with a fireplace. The warm orange glow was welcome, before it would of made her even smile. Now, she was just pleased at the change in atmosphere, the constant dark hallway had started to look dull.

There were two people in the room, a blond one was sitting in the sofa with something clay like in his hands and a huge looking male was lurking around in the corner with a cup that Sakura guessed was sake. They seemed calm enough, but the blond froze as he sensed them.

"Sasori! What took you so lo-" the boy –he was no older than a teenager- yelled from his place from the comfortable looking sofa. His long blond hair swirling behind him as he turned to the door, freezing suddenly at the sight of her.

Funny, he looked familiar with his blue eye –the other one was hidden behind a scope of some kind- and long golden blond hair.

It also reminded her, that she had never known the red heads name before now.

' _Sasori_ ,' she thought, pleased even, as she let out a breathless little hum.

"What… is she doing here? Did you capture her?" The blond asked and jumped up, the piece of clay he had ben shaping laying forgotten on the sofa. He seemed troubled for some reason, but Sakura couldn't fathom why.

"Does she look unwilling?" Sasori asked, his impatient nature shining through once again.

"Well," the boy looked her way again "not necessarily. But she's with the… you know." the boy finished lamely. His blue eye kept darting her way, as if expecting her to attack. Why would she, they haven't given her a reason to. She wouldn't attack her partners' comrades without a reason.

His denial on where she belonged and didn't belong was quite annoying thought. She was right where she wanted to be, next to _Sasori_.

"I am where I want to be," Sakura stated firmly, fire dancing in her glassy eyes as she looked down on the boy, even tho she was shorter than him, willing him to accept this fact as well.

"Heh, the girl seems just as stubborn as before," the giant looking –and blue- man stated from his place in the corner as he took a sip from his sake. The sight of him would have frightened her before, of this she was sure, now she just ignored his unusual looks.

Who was she to judge, she was made from wood.

Her loss of reaction seemed to surprise him, but he choose not to comment on it.

"…Does the Leader know?" the boy asked uncertainly, this time more than just glancing at her. If Sakura had to guess, there was something akin to longing in his gaze. Why that was, she couldn't fathom.

"He is aware," Sasori said, a frown in his voice that couldn't be seen on his frozen face.

"Is he now?" The boy grumbled and turned back towards the sofa, clearly intending to ignore them for the time being.

 _*Klick Klick*_

Went her neck as she turned to Sasori.

"Sasori?" Sakura hummed, using his name for the first time.

"We're done," Sasori said with a slight smirk and glanced at her. He seemed pleased again, whatever for.

The slight klicking of her body seemed to gather some attention, but most so from the blond who seemed to freeze all over. He turned around slowly and looked at her, really looked at her.

He looked down at her fingers that were poking out from the long sleeves of her jacket and gasped at the small wooden arms he could see. His eyes returned to her face, disbelief clearly on his face as he stared into her eyes that were made of glass. Her eyes were calm and cold, his were unbelieving, shocked.

"You're…"

"I am?" Sakura asked, slight confusion in her voice, thought her face remained neutral, frozen.

He turned his blazing eye towards her partner, golden hair whipping about angrily at his jerky movements.

"YOU BASTARD!" He yelled at Sasori and moved to attack, only to be stopped by Kisame, who moved surprisingly fast for his size. His cup of sake lay forgotten on the ground.

"You ruined her! She was perfect, a piece of art, vibrant, colorful, alive, A BANG! AND YOU RUINED HER!" He kept yelling and squirming around in the arms of the larger male, hitting him repeatedly in the process. The blue one didn't seem bothered by the hitting, but there was an annoyed frown on his face.

"Ruined me?" Sakura asked emotionlessly, glancing at her partner once again. She hadn't been ruined, just changed.

"Deidara," Sasori said, now the annoyance could be seen even on his wooden face.

Deidara, apparently that was his same, fumed and glared, but quieted down to listen. The larger male never let go, clearly not trusting him to stay still.

"They didn't deserve her," Sasori said calmly, expecting the blond to understand and leave it at that.

"Neither do you!" Deidara snarled and tried to yank himself free.

"But you do?" this made the blond bristle.

"I wouldn't have changed her the way you did," Deidara grumbled and yanked himself out of the blue giants' arms. He seemed done with the subject as he left the room with a last glance in her way.

"Sasori?" Sakura asked, almost curious on what will happen next.

"Is she trustworthy?" asked a quiet, yet calm voice from the table behind the sofa. Sakura hadn't noticed anyone there before. He was what one would call handsome with long black hair and piercing red eyes. Before, she might have swooned, now she just choose to ignore him.

"What Itachi means... is she one of us? You know how the Leaf ninjas are," the blue one said.

"She is," Sasori said lazily, clearly bored with the subject. The two of them seemed pleased enough with Sasoris answer and didn't question him anymore. With a hum, he turned her way and nodded towards the door, clearly telling her that they were done here.

Sakura nodded and walked with him out of the room.

She could still feel the piercing red gaze on her back.

…

Beta notes:

Hello my dear readers!

My life has been quite a mess lately, but I've been trying to update my stories a little…

This chapter hasn't been Betaed yet, so I apologize for the errors, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Sakura may seem a little dull and different, but she was just turned into a puppet, she doesn't have her own mind completely organized just yet, it will take some time.

I will try to update every now and again, but I still only have one good arm to use, so it might take some time.

And as always, thank you for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana


	5. Chapter 4

Puppeteer

…

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

…

Chapter 4

 _ ***Sakura***_

She was in a village, walking amongst people without faces. She wasn't sure where she was going, or where she was coming from, but neither did she stop. She didn't know these people, couldn't recognize their faceless forms, but neither was she afraid of them. It was like they belonged there. The village seemed familiar to her, like home.

 ***Sakura***

The people greeted her happily, yet there was no noise at all, even though she saw them talking to themselves. That didn't bother her, she just kept walking along what seemed to be the main road. In the distance, she could see what she guessed was the Village Leaders tower and its gates. The huge red building seemed familiar, like she had been there before many times. It seemed to be calling her, like she needed to go there.

 ***Sakura, it's Inner***

The gates didn't seem to get any closer, no matter how many steps she took or how long she walked. The distance remained the same between her and the tower. The closed gates mocked her, as she tried to walk faster. Soon she was running, anxious to reach it.

 ***Sakura, you need to find me before he-***

…

"-Found out how far away you can be from me before our chakra connection is lost."

Sakuras eyes snapped open, at first confused on where she was. The familiar sight of Sasori standing over her calmed her mind and she relaxed. He had a contemplating look on his face as he reached out a hand to help her up. They must have found the maximum distance they could be apart, that was why she had passed out like that.

She took his hand without hesitation and he pulled her up smoothly.

"It won't happen anymore as soon as I can find the time to finish your own core," still dazed, Sakura could only nod.

"Until then, you need to keep within a mile from me."

"I see…" Sakura mumbled, still deep in thoughts.

Her dream –she guessed it was a dream- and the desperate voice in her head was heavy on her mind. What was this Inner that had talked to her, why did it want her to find it? Sakura couldn't place where she had heard that voice or seen that village, but she was sure she knew them both very well. She wasn't even sure if it was a dream, she didn't know if she could dream anymore as she didn't really need sleep like she did as a human.

"Sakura?"

"Can we dream?" Sakura asked all of a sudden and looked up into Sasoris cool grey eyes. That question seemed to surprise him, as it took some time for him to find an answer.

"Do you feel fine?" Sasori asked instead and stepped closer to her. He took a gentle hold of her face and turned it this way and that. He seemed somewhat concerned about her dazed state, probably worried that their seal had a flaw. When she nodded to let him know that she was okay, he released her face, looking as relieved as someone with a wooden face could look.

"You know we do not need rest, neither can we fall asleep," he said and placed a hand on her waist to pull her body into him. She went willingly into his hard, wooden frame.

"Why do you ask my doll?" Sasori asked and placed his lips gently on her forehead.

"It's nothing, I was just wondering," Sakura said with an airless sigh and leaned into his touch.

Her thoughts and worries melted away, as she stood there in his embrace.

…

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as they walked along the quiet road in the woods. Apparently, their Leader, who Sakura had yet to meet, had given them a mission to keep them busy for the time being. Sasori had seemed pleased with having something to do. The cave their hideout was located in had gotten quite boring in the first few weeks, even Sakura could admit that.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs she walked next to her partner, neither saying anything. There was no need to. They had already gone over the plan and the route they would take to their object. It was a simple data collecting mission in a nearby non shinobi village. Sasori was to spy him, some rogue ninja that had the misfortune of gaining too much information about their organization. Sasori had said his name too, but Sakura didn't remember what it was.

She just knew that she didn't know them. Yes, them, their target had a team of 3 with him.

Sakura was to stay behind for now. Sasori had said neither her frame, nor her hands, were ready for combat just yet. Sakura didn't mind, not much seemed to bother her now a days anyway.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as they walked into the medium sized village. Sasori had placed a simple genjutsu over them, to make them appear more human to the towns' people. Their black cloaks with the red clouds and straw hats still seemed to gather enough attention as it was.

Sasori was to rent them a room for a few nights, to give them some time to locate their target and to find a way to spy him without gathering too much attention to themselves. Apparently, Sasori had broken most of his puppets a while back, so he had to keep a low profile before he could build some new ones.

Sakura knew that he wouldn't use himself for just any rogue ninja, he didn't see them as worthy enough for his art.

He had used so much time on her lately, to keep her in good condition, that he hadn't had the time to build any new puppets yet. That, and he was also low on materials.

He kept her oiled to minimize the klicks and klanks her body made, brushed her hair daily to maintain its natural shine, polished her frame to keep it free of splinters and any other thing he thought her body needed for it to remain in pristine condition. In Sakuras opinion, he had a teeny tiny obsession about maintaining her, but she enjoyed the attention too much to complain.

 _*Klank Klank*_

Went her legs as they stepped into the small inn they would stay for now. Sasori went to the desk to get their keys while she looked around. There weren't many people in the bar that was in the same floor as the reception, but the few that were, were looking at them with curiosity, some even with slight fear. She could see why, not many shinobi had a reason to visit this village.

"I got our keys, let's go," Sasori said impatiently. Apparently the old woman behind the desk hadn't been fast enough for Sasoris taste. That didn't surprise Sakura, not many were.

*Klank Klank*

Went her legs as they climbed up the stairs to the second floor where their room was located. He opened the door with one of the keys –they got two from the old lady- and let her go in first. He closed the door behind them and started to remove his heavy cloak. He placed it on the rack near the door and walked towards the bed.

"I need to oil you today," Sasori said as he removed his backpack to place it on the bed. He started searching for the oil and his tools, apparently intending to do it right away. It seemed like the clanking of her legs finally managed to get on his nerves.

"Why not build my frame like yours? This one takes much more work to keep it working **and** quiet," Sakura asked as she started to disrobe. And it was true, this body she had was much louder and clumsier than Sasoris own. And the amount of oil it took to keep it even somewhat quiet was more than Sasori had ever needed for his joints.

They had done this so many times already, almost daily, that Sakura was already used to being bare in Sasoris presence. She didn't feel the need to cover up wood anyhow.

"I don't have the necessary parts just yet, most of my puppets are broken as you know. I had only so much to build you," Sasori said and waited somewhat patiently for her to remove the rest of her clothing. Before, she only had Sasoris clothes to use, now she had clothes of her own. Mostly it was just basic shinobi shirts in black and grey, same with pants, shoes and other necessities.

*Klank Klank*

Went her legs as she walked to the bed.

"At least try and finish my body before my core?" Sakura asked as she took a seat.

"Impatient?" Sasori asked with a chuckle. He kneeled in front of her to start at her ankles, oil and a screwdriver in hand.

"I wish to train," Sakura said simply.

"I will see what I can do," Sasori said, after that, they were quiet as he worked.

…

In the next day, Sakura and Sasori were walking in the streets side by side, also trying to look around in case they happened to see their –Sasoris- target. Sakura knew little how the target looked and mostly trusted Sasori to recognize him. They didn't have the exact time he would be in the village, they just knew it was today, according to their –Sasoris- contacts.

Her body, freshly oiled, was quiet and didn't gather any unwanted attention to them. They had left their cloaks, as well as their hats, at the inn, not wanting to gather any stares from the villagers. They had their shinobi gear, but for the most part, they blended in nicely.

"Do you see him?" Sakura asked and looked up at Sasori, her head moving smoothly and quietly for once. Sasori shook his head after glancing around, as if making sure their target hadn't arrived just then.

"Let's go back to the inn, we can continue later."

"Yes," Sakura agreed, it would look suspicious if they just walked around for hours and looked around without rest.

"Tell me how the target looked again?" Sakura asked, wanting to be sure that they didn't miss him. She was quite sure the male was about her age with dark hair, but that could be about anyone.

"I'll show you the picture when we're in our room."

"Very well."

They walked to the Inn and he opened the door for her as usual. The old lady smiled at her from behind the counter, apparently she thought they were lovers, if the dreamy expression on her face was anything to go by. Sakura guessed it was somewhat true, they were tied together in a way and she was alive because of him, only because of him.

"What was his name in case I happen to hear it?" Sakura asked as they walked up the stairs.

*Klank Klank*

Went her legs. They needed to be oiled again before they went out again. Sasori glanced at the bar to make sure the target wasn't there, but choose to still wait till they were at their room in case someone was listening. He had given the other key to her incase the got separated and Sakura used it to open the door. Sasori closed the door behind them, making sure it was locked before turning to her and speaking.

"The target is Uchiha Sasuke."

…

Beta notes: None yet.

Hello my dear readers!

This chapter hasn't been Betaed yet, so I apologize for the errors, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Surprise! Inner is not dead! She is very much alive and kicking in Sakuras mind.

As you can see, Sakura is a bit more stable and lively by now. She has a bit more of her own mind back, just none her memories.

I'm also dying to get to the part where Sakura meets her friends and Sasuke!

And as always, thank you for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana


	6. Chapter 5

Puppeteer

…

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

…

Chapter 5

"Uchiha Sasuke? Is he related to Itachi? They look quite alike," Sakura asked and looked at the picture that Sasori had of their target.

He had dark hair, short at the back and charcoal eyes that could apparently turn red like Itachis. He had on a white haori, but Sakura couldn't see the rest, as the image only revealed face and torso. She could tell that he was quite tall as well. The boy was the age she had been as a human, but years as a missing nin had taken its toll on his features.

He looked tired, worn and world weary.

"Sasuke is Itachis younger brother," Sasori said as a side note, as he oiled her legs once again. Even he could admit that her body took quite a lot of time to maintain, it was not built for traveling and walking as much as they had done lately.

He would need to fix that.

Before they left for their mission, Deidara had quite boldly stated that he would not work as his partner anymore. Sasori was quite sure that the reason for his outburst was sitting in front of him now. Deidara always did want things that were out of his league, so to but it blandly, Sakura was to act as his partner from now on.

She just needed a body fit for such a task.

Having someone like him as his partner, not having to worry about them dying or growing old and dull, was exhilarating. He wasn't one for romantic feelings, but he did care about Sakura. She was his, he made her as she is and now she would remain with him. Just like he wanted her to from the start.

Together they would remain beautiful, graceful and deadly, _forever_.

He had noticed how their seal had stabilized, she was able to form her own rational thoughts by now. Sasori hoped that soon he would be able to finish her own core, as of now she was not able to form chakra on her own. She needed chakra to protect herself and remain conscious in this new body, should they be forced apart from one another.

But first things first, he would finish her body like she asked him to do.

"After we return home, I will remake you."

Though her face remained in its beautiful, yet neutral look, her eyes smiled at him.

"Thank you."

…

" _Wait here, I'm running out of oil and your joints keep getting worse. I will be close by."_

So there she sat, not sure what to do other than sit in the bar and wait for Sasori to come back. She had ordered a drink to keep up appearance, even if she couldn't really drink anything and glanced around every now and then to check if their target was around.

"Hey, are you Pinocchio, cos' I could turn you into a real woman tonight," a flirty voice said right next to her ear. Sakura glanced to her right and saw a young man with pure white hair and purple eyes. His posture was over confident and a bit cheeky, as he smirked at her, showing his shark like teeth. His shirt was purple and he had on light grey pants.

"Something like that," Sakura muttered, thinking how ironic his sentence was, considering her current state. It was a bit funny really, Sakura would have laughed if not for her dulled sense of everything that had to do with feelings.

"What was that beautiful?"

"It was nothing," Sakura said, hoping not for the first time that she still had the ability to smile reassuringly. She knew that the genjutsu covered up the joints in her hands, but her face was made as close to a human one as possible. It just wouldn't make expressions like it used to.

It didn't need a genjutsu to look "alive".

"The name's Suigetsu, what should I call you doll?" Suigetsu asked, leaning in a bit closer.

"You shouldn't call her anything! Come on looser, Sasuke is waiting," yelled someone from a few steps behind her. Sakura glanced behind and past the man next to her, noticing the woman that had just spoken.

Her whole being spelled annoyance, she was even tapping her foot as she stared at who Sakura now knew as Suigetsu. Her outfit consisted of a lavender uniform that exposes her navel, way too short black shorts, and long black thigh high stockings with black ninja sandals. She had glasses on her frowning face and it was framed by bright red hair.

'She said Sasuke… it could be our target,' Sakura realized, a small bubble of excitement rising within her hollow chest. She needed to let Sasori know. She couldn't follow them alone, she would pass out before making it out of the village.

"C'mon Karin! It's not like we're in a hurry, Sasuke is clearly looking for someone in this village. Why not have some fun?" Suigetsu whined, clearly forgetting Sakura for the moment.

"Fine! You stay here! I'm going with Sasuke!" Karin all but yelled and turned around in a flurry of bright red hair.

"Ugh, no wonder Sasuke thinks she's annoying, she's such a leech," Suigetsu muttered and turned to her with a smirk.

"Now, where were we puppet?" Suigetsu asked, leaning in closer and taking a strand of her hair between his fingers. He brought it to his nose and took a deep breath in, smelling her hair. It hasn't really been washed since she was turned, but it didn't matter. She didn't sweat anymore, so she didn't need to wash.

Sasori always wiped her with a towel if there was any dirt on her, that was it.

"You were asking my name," Sakura remained him dully. This was her only lead to their possible target, she would stall him until Sasori returned. He couldn't be far off due to their seal. She didn't dare to move that much, the noise her joints made would gather way too much attention.

Sasori had clearly said to stay put.

"Ah! So I was! So, what should I call you?"

"I am called Sakura."

…

"I tell you! She was the prettiest thing I have ever seen!" Suigetsu said excitedly to Jūgo as they sat in their camp. Karin only rolled her eyes, she didn't see what was so special about the pink haired girl, she had looked quite average in her eyes. Sure, she had exotic hair, but that was about it.

"Shut up idiot, Sasuke doesn't care who you fu-"

"I didn't! I said I'd be back later!" Suigetsu protested, annoyed by Karins blunt disregard of the blossom he had picked up. He had asked if she was staying in the village for a few more days and she had said yes. Pleased, he had asked if he could come back later and she had agreed readily with a smile in her beautiful green eyes.

"Hn."

"What do you mean 'no'?! I can do what I want while you look for… whoever it was!" Suigetsu yelled at Sasuke. They were going to stay close to this location, Sasukes "target" was supposedly seen close by, so why couldn't he have some fun while the rest of them waited?

"What did she look like?" Jūgo asked, hoping to avoid a fight between Suigetsu and their leader. Rather than fight, it seemed like Suigetsu was all too willing to talk about this girl he had met.

"Man! She had the most amazing shade of green eyes I have seen! And her hair! I have never seen anything so exotic and soft!" Suigetsu said dreamily, clearly taken by this strange woman.

"I see, did she have a name?" Jūgo asked, pleased to have avoided another fight.

"It was kind of cliché, I mean, she has the colorings of a blossom, green eyes and pastel hair, but it still matches her really well," Suigetsu rambled and waved his arms around while trying to explain.

"Pff, I'd say pink isn't exotic, just weird. Maybe she's part albino or something," Karin said and turned her nose up in the air snobbishly.

She was not liking how this weird girl got so much attention from her teammates. She was way prettier, than that quiet girl at the motel bar. Karin had noticed how she hadn't event touched her drink! She had just sat there like… like some doll sitting on a shelf!

Suigetsu noticed how Sasuke tensed at the mention of pink hair and turned his eyes to glare at Karin. She, of course, missed said glare, obvious as she was. Maybe Sasuke knew someone who had pink hair before joining Sound?

"You're just jealous," Suigetsu teased, hoping to get a rise out of Karin.

"As if I wo-!"

"Her name?"

Everyone turned to look at Sasuke who was lounging a few steps from them, away from the fire. He wasn't looking at any of them as he leaned against his tree, his eyes stayed glued to the flickering flames of their campfire. He had a contemplating look to him, like he was lost in memories long past.

"What's it to you?" Suigetsu asked, not pleased that their "Leader" had taken interest in the same girl he was trying to woo. Sasukes obsidian eyes bled into the crimson color of his Sharingan as he glared at him. His shoulders were tense and he was squeezing the handle of his sword so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"Her. Name."

Apparently Sasuke really wanted to know the name of the girl. Better not to test Sasuke, when he was in _that_ kind of mood. He looked ready to kill.

"It was Sakura."

…

Beta notes: None yet.

Hello my dear readers!

So, this hasn't been beta fixed yet, so it might have some minor and not so minor errors, try and ignore them for the time being.

I was so excited while writing this! Can't wait to get to the part where Sasuke meets Sakura!

P.S.

If you haven't checked out my story called "She was a Bang!" and want to know more about Deidaras feelings, I would suggest you read it. It is a part of this story and I really like how it turned out.

And as always, thank you for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana


End file.
